Special techniques for purifying internally dosas through yoga

(Shatakarma)
*Sudha Sharma, **Hiralal Sharma
*Yoga & Phsical Education Teacher, K.V, AGCR, Karkarduma, Delhi - 110 92
**Research Assistant, Dept. of Ayurvedic Research, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Maharishi Dayananda
Gram, Delhi-Hardwar Highway, Near Bahadarabad, Haridwar, Uttarakhand
Abstract
Yoga is the science of right living and, as such, is intended to be incorporated in daily life. It
works on all aspects of the person; the physical, vital, mental, emotional psychic and spiritual. The
science of yoga applies itself to all aspects of life, on a more practical level, yoga is a means of
balancing and harmonising the body, mind and emotions. This is done through the practice of
asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, shatkarma and meditation, and must be achieved before union
can take place with the higher reality. The science of yoga begins to work on the outermost aspect
of the personality, the physical body, which for most people is a practical and familiar starting
point. when imbalance experienced as this level, the organs, muscles and nerves no longer function
in harmony, rather they act in opposition to each other. For instance, the endocrine system might
become irregular and the efficiency of the nervous system decrease to such an extent that a disease
will manifest. Yoga aims at bringing the different bodily functions into perfect co-ordination so that
they work for the good of the whole body.

Key Words: Yogic approach, all diseases, Shatkarma, Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trataka, Nauli, Kapalbhati.

Introduction the efficiency of the nervous system decrease to

The word yoga means ‘unity’ or ‘one ness’,
The unity or joining is described in spiritual terms
as the union of the individual consciousness
with the universal consciousness. On a more
practical level, yoga is a means of balancing and
harmonising the body, mind and emotions. This
is done through the practice of asanas,
pranayama, mudra, bandh, Shatkarma and
meditation, and must be adviced before union
can take place with the higher reality.
Aims of Yoga
The science of yoga begins to work on the
outer most aspect of the personality, the physical
body, which for most people is a practical and
familiar starting point. When imbalance is
experienced at this level, the organs, muscles and
nerves no longer function in harmony, rather
they act in opposition to each other. For instance,
the endocrine system might become irregular and
Reprint Requests: Dr. Hiralal Sharma
Research Assistant, Dept. of Ayurvedic Research,
Patanjali Yogpeeth, Maharishi Dayananda
Gram, Delhi-Hardwar Highway
Hardwar, Uttarakhand
Phone: 09634434644, 09868808431
Hiralal Sharma et al. Indian Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga. April - June 2009; Vol. 2 No. 2
such an extent that a disease will manifest. Yoga
aims at bringing the different bodily function
into perfect co-ordination so that they work for
the good of the whole body. For the physical
body, yoga moves on to the mental and
emotional levels. Many people suffer from
phobias and neuroses as a result of the stresses
and interactions of everyday living. The
practices of yoga, awareness develops of the
interrelation between the emotional, mental and
physical levels, there are many branches of yoga
: raja, hatha, jnana, Karma, bhakti, mantra,
Kundalini and laya. In the last half of this
century, hatha yoga has become the most well
known and widely practiced of the system. In
the ancient text, hatha yoga consists of the
shatkarmas, cleansing practices only. Yoga
therapy makes the life-force stronger and gives
new life to the body. It is far more effective, easier
and cheaper than most other therapies. It is as
much a science as an art of living a handsome
life. Yogic therapeutic system is based on the
principles of psychology, biology, life science,
chemistry, ‘panchakosha’, ‘panchaprana’, ‘up-
prana’, gland and other elements. Yogic therapy
has certain special features of its own such as
67
body cleansing activating endocrine glands,
managing proper functioning of all systems
nervous system, breathing, digestion, blood
circulation, excretion etc. - laying more emphasis
on prevention than on cure, controlling the mind,
intellectual purification and spiritual
purification. The shatkarmas is a very precise
and systematic science. It is six groups of
purification practices. The aim of the
Shatkaramas is to creat harmony between the
two major pranic flows, Ida and Pingala, thereby
attaining physical and mental purification and
balance.
Tridhatu and Tridasa
The shatkarmas are also used to balance the
three doshas or humours in the body. Kapha,
mucus, pitta, bile, and Vata, wind. It is said -
Meda shleshmaadhikaha poorvam
shatkarmaanisamaa charet.
Anyastu naacharettaani doshaanaam
samabhavataha.
Hatha yoga pradipika 2/2.
When fat or mucus is excessive, the
shatkarmas or six cleansing techniques should
be practised before pranayama. Others, in
whom the doshas (i.e. phlegm, wind and bile)
are balanced, need not do them.
- ibid
There are three humours in the body. Kapha,
pitta and vata. In yoga and Ayurveda they are
called tridosha. A balance proportion of these
three facilitates body functions, but if there is an
excess of one and a shortage of another, ailments
develop due to over heating or not enough heat
in the body. Before commencing pranayama, an
imbalance in the doshas should be removed and
also excess body fat, mucus blocking the
respiratory tract should be removed, gas in the
stomach and intestines eliminated, etc. In Hatha
yoga there are six particular practices which
were specifically designed for this purpose. They
are called shatkarma. The techniques regulate
the production of the doshas.
It the doshas are already balanced there is no
need to practise the shatkarma. The shatkarmas
are really only for these people who have
disturbance or imbalances in the doshas.
68 Hiralal Sharma et al. Indian Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga. April - June 2009; Vol. 2 No. 2
Six Cleansing Techniques (Shatkarma)
It is said -
Dhautirbastistatha netistratakam naulikam
tathaa.
Kapaalabhatishchaitani sat karmani pracha
ksate.
Hatha yoga pradeepika 2/22.
Dhauti, basti, neti, trataka, nauli and
kapalabhati, these are known as shatkarma or
the six cleansing processes.
Therefore, Hatha Yoga is famous for these six
cleansing techniques. Although only six in
number each has a variety of practices.
Dhauti
Dhauti is classified into four parts according
to the Gherand Samhita they are called antar
(internal) dhauti, danta (teeth) dhauti, frid
(Heartry or cardiac) dhauti and moola
shodhana (rectal cleaning).
Types of Antardhaduti
Further on, Antardhauti is divided into four
parts -
(i) Vastra dhauti - expelling air through the
anus.
(ii) Varisaradhauti - evacuating a larg
quantity of water through the bowels.
(iii) Vahnisara dhauti - rapid expansion /
contraction of the abdomen.
(iv) Bahiskrita dhauti - washing the rectum
in the hands.
Types of Hariddhayti
It is divided into three parts
(i) danta-dhauti, inserting a soft banana
stem into the stomach,
(ii) vastradhauti-swallowing a long thin
strip of cloth,
(iii) vamandhauti regurgitating the contents
of the stomach.
The lust practice of dhauti, moolshodhana can
be performed in two ways. It is done either by
inserting a turmeric root or the middle finger
into the anus.
Basti
The second karma, basti is divided into
two parts proficient in the shatakarma.
(i) Jal basti and (ii) sthala (dry) basti. The shatakarma specifically increase the vital
(1) Jalbasti capacity of the practitioner. They were never
designed for therapy alone, but to creat harmony
In jalbasti you suck water into the large in the body and mind and to prepare one for
intestine through the anus and then expel it. further practices. As they bring about smooth
(2) Sthal basti - and perfect functioning of the bodily systems, it
In sthal basti you suck air into the large is inevitable that through their practice the mind
intestine. will become free from turbulence and
disturbances and thus be better able to
(3) Netikarma - concentrate and to move towards dhyana.
It has four practices The effects of Shatkarma can be summed up
(1) Jal (Water) neti (2) Sutraneti (3) Ghrita in one word-purification. When the different
neti (4) Dugdha netic systems of the body have been purified, the
(1) Jal (water) neti - passing warm saline overall result is that energy can flow through
water through the nose, the body freely. One’s capacity to work, think,
digest, taste, feel, experience, etc. increases, and
(2) Sutra (Thread) neti - passing a soft thread greater awareness develops. (ibid - p. 188-189).
through the nose,
According to both Ayurveda and Hathayoga,
(3) Ghrita (ghee) neti - passing clarified butter an imbalance of the doshas will result in illness.
through the nose. These practices are also used before pranayama
Trataka Karma and other higher yoga practices in order to purify
It is steady and continuous gazing at a the body of toxins and to ensure safe and
point of concentration. It has two types of successful progression along the spiritual path
practices - the (six) shatkarmas are as fallows.
(1) Antar (Internal) and (2) bahir (1) Neti - A process of cleansing and purifying
(external) trataka the nasal passages. Practices included in this
category are: Jala neti and Sutraneti.
Naulikarma
(2) Dhauti - A series of cleansing techniques
In Which you isolate and churn the abdominal
which are divided into three main groups: Antar
muscles. It has three practices. When the muscles
dhauti (Internal Cleansing), Sirshadhavti (Head
are isolated to the right it is dakshina nauli, to
cleansing - traditionally called danta dhavti) and
the left vama nauli and in the middlem, it is
madhyama nauli. (3) Hrid-dhauti - It is known by the name of
thoracic cleansing. The internal techniques clean
Kapalbhati karma
the entire alimentary canal from the mouth to
Which has three practices the anus. They are divided into four practices.
(1) Vatkrama kapalabhati, which is (i) Shankhapraksalan (Varisar dhauti) and
similar to bhastrika pranayama, laghu shankha prakshalan cleansing of the
(2) Vyutkrama kapalbhati, sucking water intestines.
in through the nose and expelling it through the (ii) Agnisarkriya (Vahnisar dhauti) -
mouth, activating the digestive fire.
(3) Sheetkrama kapalabhati, sucking (iii) Kunjal (Vaman dhauti) - Cleansing the
water in through the nose. stomach with watery.
These six fundamental cleansing (iv) Vastra dhauti - cleansing the intestine with
techniques are the most important aspects of air.
hatha yoga and are the original Hatha Yoga.
(3) Nauli - A method massaging and
However, today asana and pranayama are more
strengthening the abdominal organs.
widely known and few people are new
Hiralal Sharma et al. Indian Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga. April - June 2009; Vol. 2 No. 2 69
 (4) Basti - Techniques for washing and
toning the large intestine.
(v) Kapalabhati - A breathing theachinque for
purifying the frontal region of the brain.
(vi) Trataka - The practice of intense gazing
at one point or object which develops the power
of concentration. Although there are only six
shatkarmas (Asana pranayama mudra Bandha
p. 475-476)
Yoga is a complete science of life and, although
ancient, it has become popular only in recent
past. It is a scientific method for exercising and
relaxing to ease the tensions and stress of modern
day living. There many types of yoga. However,
here we are concerned with physical exercises
only. Yogic Kriyas like kunjal,
Shankhaprakshalan, Neti, Dhauti, Kapalbhati,
Nauli etc; are processes of purification of the
body which precede yoga and help in
eliminating toxic accumulations from the body.
Disease is the consequence of disorder.
Disorder is the outcome of indiscipline. When
discipline goes, disorder and misery fallow. Most
of us do not eat to live but live to eat. Human
body, like, like nature, can not tolerate undue
external interferences. When one becomes sick
one tries to find instant remedies which very
often cause further damage to the system. The
more drastic the remedy is, the greater is the
damage and it becomes a vicious cicle.
Discussion
Health is not something that can be purchased
in a bottle from a drug store, but is a condition
built over the years from within by our own vital
processes through conscientious efforts and self-
control or will power. The old adage “A sound
mind in a sound body” underlines the
importance of a healthy body. It is a source of
happiness as it helps creat an atmosphere of
70 Hiralal Sharma et al. Indian Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga. April - June 2009; Vol. 2 No. 2
amiable interaction with our near and dear ones.
Good health is Nature’s gift to man, but man,
being preoccupied with a mechanical life style,
has alienated himself from Nature. Naturopathy
and yoga help man gain health from natural
resources ensuring a long and high quality life.
Then heart diseases, strokes, cancer, diabetes,
arthritis, abdominal diseases and other diseases
of modern civilisation that cripple and kill
mankind will be controlled and may not occur
at all. Naturopathy attempts to bring the human
body close to the Nature and Yoga tries to keep
it there.
Yoga is drug-less and natural science. It is a
complete science of life and, although ancient,
it has become popular only in the recent past. It
is a scientific method for exercising and relaxing
to ease the tensions and stress of modern day
living. There are many types of yoga. Here, we
are concerned with yogic kriyas only i.e. - Kunjal,
Shankhaprakshalan, Neti, Dhauti, kapalbhati
and Nauli etc. They are processes of purification
of the body which precede yoga and help in
eliminating toxic accumulations from the body.
(cont. Next. Volume)
Reference
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Trust, Munger, Bihar.
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Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Jindal Nagar,
Tumkur Road, Banglor, 560073.
3. Swami, Karmanand, Yogic Management
of Common Disease (2003), Yog Publication
Trust Munger, Bihar.
4. Lal, Shri Prakahs, Curing of Diseases
Through Yoga (2000), Bharti Yoga Samsthan,
A.D. 24, Shalimarbag. Dehli - 88.